


Blood Betrayal

by The1Before



Series: The Rise of Dawn [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Gen, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-24
Updated: 2017-02-04
Packaged: 2018-09-19 16:04:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9449378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The1Before/pseuds/The1Before
Summary: Jaime Lannister, betrayed and guilty of crimes he had no hand of, is disinherited and exiled from his home. Along the way, he meets Brienne who is disheartened by her own bleak circumstances. Together they journey throughout the Known World to get back home. However, they would soon discover what truly is home.





	1. The Lion & The Heart Tree

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or locations. All mentioned are owned by GRRM. I do not make any profit and this is a product of fanfiction.
> 
> Un-betaed.  
> Note: This is in its very early stages. I'll be posting new chapters sporadically and unprompted.

**The Lion & The Heart Tree**

 

 

 _Maegor’s Holdfast, The Red Keep, King’s Landing_.

 

One heartbeat. That was all the time he was afforded to change his world and everybody that lived in it. Not that Jaime had any regrets whatsoever. If he had that chance to go back, relive and change, nothing in the sequence of events that lead to the Mad King’s death would he change. Kings Landing was all but ruined with his father’s sacking of the city and Robert Baratheon’s armies charging in, killing those loyal –innocent or not- to the dragon didn’t help either.  So no. Jaime had no regrets. He didn’t even regret killing his father’s dog with the same bloodied-blade. Nor did he regret the haunted young eyes that followed him when he rode out of the city.

Two moons and the city was still in the process of repair. Every abled person were assigned their roles and every person who was alive, lived and moved on. And what was he doing? He was sitting in the hidden alcove within the Red Keep’s Godswood that housed the heart tree. A glass of Arbor Gold in one hand and his blood-stained sword in the other.

It was decided that Ser Jaime Lannister would no longer be a member of the new king’s Kingsguard, and that his cousin Lancel Lannister would take his place. The thought of that useless worm replacing him brought him pain. Suspicions surrounding the death of the previous king had the would-be king wary of Jaime’s presence in his guard. The irony of Robert Baratheon becoming the new king because of the meagre Targaeryen blood in his veins did not escape him. All these men, all these noble families united in deposing their king off his Iron Throne and not one did they think of the consequences. They chose _the Usurper_ for his blood, not because he was the best man for the role. Now all they needed to complete this farce was to choose the best queen.

Cersei was now housed within the Red Keep. The moment the rumours of whom the king’s choice in bride would be, Tywin Lannister sent a raven immediately to Casterly Rock for his daughter’s attendance. She was the first to arrive, before the thought crossed in every other lord-father’s mind to bring their eligible daughter to the capital. The thought that his sweet sister marrying the barbaric fool had filled Jaime with such anger. He pleaded with her. No longer a member of the Kingsguard, he was no longer bound to his vows. They could run away, go to Essos, marry there, be husband and wife, but Cersei would hear none of it and he ran out of her chambers in anger and despair, her voice calling him to come back.

Hearing an echo of her voice in his mind brought him back to the present. He looked up at the beauty of the heart tree - its inflamed leaves in stark contrast to its green neighbours - with complete indifference, drank the rest of the wine and stood up. The strain of his back muscles were indicative to how long he sat there, but he ignored it as he strode back into Maegor’s Holdfast.

He had to see his sister. He had to make her see reason. Like she had said to him many times, _they were two halves of a whole_.

The corridors within the Holdfast were cold and dark, its shadows holding its ghosts at bay from the meagre light the torches produced. Jaime stared straight ahead, but the thought of seeing his sweet sister could not hold off the images as they ran past him. There in that corridor, was where Queen Rhaella’s chambers were, the sound of her screams and _his_ laughter, the scolding Ser Barristan gave a young Jaime echoed loudly as he walked past. The next chambers over was where Prince Rhaegar played a beautiful lullaby on his harp to his children, to his family. _The Dragon has three heads, there must be one more_. That corridor was where young Princess Rhaenys came stumbling along to show _Ser Jaime_ her fallen tooth, a sign she is growing up. There was where Lannister troops allowed themselves the opportunity to take their spoils, willing or not. On and on, good memories and bad, all of them stabbing themselves in Jaime’s chest. If there was one good thing he could afford to say about not being in the Kingsguard, was the thought that he would never have to endure being in this mausoleum any longer.

When he arrived at the doors to his sister’s chambers, he was treated with a sound, one that froze him on the spot but had his ghosts disappear into the darkness. It was the soft sigh and wanton moan that was as familiar to him as breathing. The sound that accompanied him in his lonely bed with his hand around his cock. The sound seemed to echo loudly in the corridor, even though it has since been long abandoned of servants and soldiers alike. Most of the guards would patrol the main corridors away from these personal quarters, it is an unspoken rule to never patrol these corridors as most highborns valued their privacy. The servants dared not speak to what they hear or see, fearing the nobles’ wrath.

Taking care to keep quiet, even though his shaking hand and beating heart is sure to be ringing loudly in the air, he pushed the door open, denial still clouding his eyes but knowledge weighing in his stomach.

The sight before him would stay behind his eyelids for the end of his days.

He watched as his sister, his twin, the other half of his soul, sat atop another man on the bed. He watched as his whole world fell apart, his heart breaking in time with every moan she uttered as she rode the man. He watched as she took the man’s hands and brought it towards her naked torso, her breasts. The same breasts he himself handled during their own lovemaking. She moved as though she was riding a stallion, she moved as though the stallion was familiar to her. _She moved as though she has done this before_.

He watched as if sensing movement from his frozen form, Cersei opened her eyes and turned her emerald eyes to him. In the midst of a particularly loud moan, she screamed and tried to cover herself as though he had never seen it before. As though it was not she herself who had first revealed her naked body to him many years ago in the shadows of his chambers in Casterly Rock. She began to thrash around, trying to get off the man, but it seemed the soon-to-be dead man didn’t know what Cersei’s intentions were. For thinking her movements were for their coupling, the man gripped his sister’s small waist and made movements that were familiar to most men, movements that froze Jaime (and Cersei, but he would not have noticed this) to the core. He watched as the man groaned out loudly as he expelled his seed within Cersei’s womb, something that even Jaime was not allowed to do for fear of her being with child.

“Cersei, what is wrong?” asked the man sensing Cersei no longer riding his cock. Jaime felt bile rising up his throat as he watched his cousin, _their cousin_ Lancel Lannister sit up and gently touch the face of his sister. A familiar touch, _a lover’s touch_. He could not take it anymore. When Lancel turned to where Cersei’s panicked eyes were facing and found her brother there, his face paled and his eyes filled with fear. Jaime would have savoured the sight, if not for the fact he turned away from them, from his sister. For he knew if the gods allowed, he would no longer just be the Kingslayer, he would also be known as Kinslayer.

“Jaime!” his sister shrieked behind him, which he ignored as a he walked frantically away. He heard her call for him again, but could no longer ignore it as he felt his sister grabbing his arm pulling him towards her. He turned around to watch her clutching her hastily put upon robes around her body, her breaths were heavy, not used to running after him. _She is used to him running after her_ he thought, feeling the golden fool. “Jaime what you saw -”

“What I saw,” Jaime interrupted, his voice hoarse with anger and pain. “Was a whore riding a whoreson’s cock!” Cersei flinched, but Jaime saw no remorse in her eyes. She stood up straight, proud, fortified herself against being described that way. “He is our cousin! _Our cousin!_ Who will I find next filling your cunt with their cock? Tyrion?!” He regretted the moment he uttered his brother’s name. _Tyrion had nothing to do with this._

“Do not think I will let _that little monster_ be anywhere near me!” she growled, disgust written all over her face. “I am to be Queen, Jaime! A queen needs a knight to protect her, to be with her. Robert is too busy dealing with the kingdom!  Since you are no longer bound by the oaths of the Kingsguard, I was desperate, so I turned to another avenue.”

“I would have done anything to stay here with you! I could have told Father I could learn to be a Lord here, that I needed to stay here in Court to protect you from the mess here in King’s Landing - ”

“A mess you created when you had the Mad King’s throat slit!” Jaime staggered back from the blow Cersei made, but quickly held himself in check.

“You forget yourself sweet sister,” he hissed, his words spilling out of him to attack. “If he had not died, there would have been no chance of you being queen. You were not good enough. Even blinded by madness, Aerys clearly saw that.” Next thing Jaime knew, half of his face stung from the slap Cersei delivered. He wanted to touch his cheek, to rub away the pain, but kept his arms down. He barely felt in control of his body. He didn’t know if his hand was to touch his cheek or to squeeze his twin’s thin neck.

“You forget _yourself_ brother,” she retaliated. “Robert Baratheon chose _me_ as his bride. His Queen!” He couldn’t help it. He laughed. He laughed, an outrageous laugh filled with no humour, even when the fall of Jaime Lannister were to be the funniest tale ever told by a mummer.

“Everyone in the Seven Kingdoms and beyond knew that Robert loved Lyanna Stark,” he replied spitefully. “He fucking started a rebellion for her! It was old Jon Arryn who badgered Robert into marrying you for the sole purpose of an alliance with Tywin! Even Prince Rhaegar gave no complaint when Aerys gave him Elia Martell over you!” Cersei stood there in silence, her lips bloodlessly pinched. She had no retaliation, because everything he said was the truth. He had to walk away, but he could not do so without hurting her, as much as she had hurt him.

“When you are old and grey,” he solemnly said. “When Robert is fucking every other woman than you and screaming _her_ name when he is; when you are sitting alone and abandoned even by your bastard children, you would wish you had never betrayed me.”

With that he turned his back on her and walked away. If he had turned around, he would have watched as Cersei eyes turned predatory. Watched as green eyes, that once looked at its twin with affection and humour, turned cold and calculating.

 

 

 

Please read this one-shot. I want know what you think. [The Promise](http://archiveofourown.org/works/9449474)


	2. The Lion & the Spider

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer in chapter one.

 

 

**The Lion & The Spider**

 

The Godswood, The Red Keep, King’s Landing.

 

It was over a turn of the moon since Jaime walked away from his sister that he and the Seven Kingdoms witnessed the official coronation of Robert Baratheon and his marriage to his new queen Cersei Lannister. Everybody, every person in every corner of the world watched the farce that was the bride and groom’s vows of fidelity and love. He snorted when these vows were exchanged, ignoring the glare and questioning frown Tywin sent his eldest son. The only other person that was not happy (or drunk, which was the case with Robert) was honourable Eddard Stark. It was rumoured that he was not happy about the marriage of Robert with Tywin Lannister’s daughter. Arguing loudly that the venerable seat of power should not be given to the man who turned his back to the losing side at the end. That they should wait after the mourning period of Lyanna Stark’s death to pass before Robert could even think to make a betrothal with any other woman than his beloved sister.

And where was Ser Jaime Lannister? Where he kept himself all this time, away from the gathering crowd, a flagon of wine in one hand and his shattered heart in the other.  During a bout of lucidity a couple of weeks before the coronation, he wondered into the godswood and was surprised to find himself in the company of Varys.

The Spider would often be seen lurking about in the Red Keep. Jaime had heard he was pardoned by Robert Baratheon by the advice of the future Hand - Jon Arryn. He had no qualms concerning the eunuch as he often thought the man was Westeros’ most loyal subject. If nothing else, the eunuch supported Jaime in their apprehensions concerning Tywin Lannister and his army’s arrival at the gates before the Sacking.

“Ser Jaime,” Varys greeted him, his voice as flowery as the perfumes that encompassed him. “I wondered if we may have a turn in the gardens.”

“Varys,” Jaime replied, his wariness of the man undeterred by his somewhat innocent appearance. “I assumed you would have been busy, what with Robert’s coronation soon. I thought your particular set of skills would oft be sought after.”

“Oh you flatter me ser,” Varys, looking particularly flattered. It unnerved Jaime somewhat. “But alas the future King holds assumptions that the realm is already at peace with Targaryens no longer holding the Seat of power, therefore there is no need for intelligence and networking.”

“You hold no assumptions.” It wasn’t a question.

“The war may have been won,” Varys said, his eyes intent on Jaime. “But the game continues to turn.”

“We’re all just spokes on a wheel,” Jaime said solemnly, more to himself than the Spider. “This House is on top, then that House is on top. And on and on it spins.*”

“Until the House that is on top is crushed by the blade of a lion.” Jaime snapped himself out of his musings to give a glare at the man.

“Is there a particular reason why I should not run you through with the same blade, Spider?”

“Forgive me, Ser Jaime,” Varys said, his look a strange mixture of regret and unrepentance. “I still feel a mixture of resentfulness and regard concerning the previous king that has not been resolved even with his death.”

“Why Varys,” Jaime mocked. “Are you angry that big bad Mad King Aerys ignored you?”

“Yes.” Jaime’s scorn turned into shock when he registered the Spider’s answer as truth. Varys’ voice was no longer flowery. As he spoke, his voice held a power and conviction that was never heard from the bald man, ever. “If he heeded my words and that of your father’s, The Defiance would not have exacerbated his madness**.

“If he heeded my word, _you_ would not have been appointed into the Kingsguard.

“If he heeded my word, Rickard and Brandon Stark would still be alive and there would have been no need for a civil war.

“If he heeded my word, the city would not have been Sacked.

“If he heeded my word, House Targeryan would still stand, headed by the beloved Prince.

“If he heeded my word, the Iron Throne would not be seated by that _Usurper_.” When he finished his impassioned speech, Varys seemed startled and tried to reign himself in. “As it is, my word was ignored and now look where we are.” He then pointed towards a group of servants from afar, who were erecting the banner of a black crowned stag on a gold field.

“Yes, look where we are,” Jaime repeated drily before looking on to the man with impatience. “Is there a point to be had with these _treasonous_ statements, or did you bring me here to kill me with sheer boredom.”

“My _little birds_ ,” Varys explained, ignoring what he said entirely. “Have been singing to me in a peculiar tune lately. One concerning you and a rather hasty run to Dorne -.” Varys then suddenly found himself shoved against a tree, the tip of a blade against his throat and a pair of cold green eyes focused upon his face.

“The next time your _little birds_ sing, will be a swan song,” Jaime hissed. “Over your rotting, swollen corpse.” It frustrated him to end when Varys, instead of looking close to fear over the blade near his throat, looked to him unruffled.

“- which your father has not put any thought to because of my interference,” Varys finished. This startled Jaime so much, that he lifted the sword from the eunuch’s throat and put it back into its sheath.

“You haven’t told my father or any of the other lords.” It was a statement, but Jaime couldn’t keep the underlying question from his face.

“What would be the point?” was Varys’ response.

“The risk of dragon heirs growing up to take back their throne.”

“For which is something you have no need to worry over, future Lord of Casterly Rock.”

Jaime paused. He supposed that his future appointment would put him into a position far from the focal point of any future uprises. If nothing else, his act would put him into good stead with Dorne. But with an internal flinch, there was still Cersei.

While her act and subsequent unrepentance hurt and angered him to the core, she was still his sister. His family.

“My sister is to be queen.”

“In the same position of the last queen who, which memory served me, was quickly spirited away from King’s Landing before anything could befall her. Aerys made sure his family was well protected by keeping them away from the battle that was to come.”

“Some protection,” Jaime snorted. “She still perished, so I have heard, by giving birth to her last child.”

“Conceived during a time when it shouldn’t,” Varys mockingly lifted his eyebrow. “Are you here to tell me, you would put your sister in the same position?” Jaime kept his mouth shut, but his glare told the spider what his thoughts to that was.

“What is this Spider?” Jaime asked, suddenly tired. “Spinning your webs as to show me you have me in your clutches. Congratulations. Might you go tell me father, he would love to give you a generous gift.”

“Has your father’s shrewdness skipped you and gave it all to your brother?” Varys sighed before looking at Jaime pointedly condescending. “You have an ally with me.” Jaime blinked unable to comprehend what he was just told. “Surprising I know, especially it’s a complete antithesis to your father’s way of making allies.

“Your actions have made me like you,” suddenly Varys shifted, looking a little uncomfortable. “While your overall personality is somewhat repellent, a few of your actions of late could be considered as redeeming qualities. Qualities I hope that would hold off this country from going down the privy.”

“What makes you think the Seven Kingdoms has not sunk that low already?” Jaime asked when his jaw finally came unglued, waving erratically at the Baratheon banner.     

“King’s Landing has not burned down,” Varys answered darkly. “The Iron Throne still stands.”

“Sat upon by an utter oaf, who has boasted out loud that he had made The Eight!” Jaime exclaimed before holding and expelling his breath to calm down. “What makes you believe I have any power concerning the realm?”

“You are Lord Tywin’s heir, whom will no doubt have considerable fear and financial hold on the throne,” Varys answered, each word spoken carefully. “You are future-Queen Cersei’s brother and have her ear, to which she will have influence within the royal fold. He may not admit it, but Robert owes you a considerably large debt. Though you unfortunately hold the name Lannister, Dorne will hold you in some regard.

“But be careful, my Lord,” Varys cautioned. “You may have gained this much power without meaning to, but it does not take much for that power to be taken from you. And I dare say, if that were to happen, I will truly fear for this country.” With that ominous statement, Varys walked away, taking with him his perfumes and his hold on Jaime, who was left there in shock and sudden fear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Daenerys – 5x08 GoT  
> **I have extended Varys’ appointment as Master of Whisperers. It just seemed odd to me that he was appointed during the time when Aerys’ paranoia was past its peak and currently his allegiance to House Targeryan is still strong that he’s scheming to bring Daenerys on the Iron Throne. I made it so he was appointed during the time when Aerys was still sane, point before his paranoia set in.
> 
> <3 Comments

**Author's Note:**

> Comments welcome.  
> Please no flames.
> 
> Lancel Lannister's age has been changed in this story. He is one to two years younger than the twins.


End file.
